THE Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) says it has withdrawn the presentation of award to Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.
The WSCIJ on Monday announced that it has postponed the presentation of award to the Vice President.
This followed protest by Nigerians on the social media against the choice of the Vice President for the award after the government he is part of has been found to be violating human rights.
Osinbajo was slated to be presented with an Integrity award as part of the 2019 Wole Soyinka Award for Investigative Reporting holding on Monday night in Lagos coinciding with the World Anti-Corruption Day.
But Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director of WSCIJ explained Monday morning that the withdrawal was a step taken to align with protests against the Department of State Services (DSS) over the unlawful detention of convener of #RevolutionNow and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore on Friday and the repression of freedom of speech.
“The Vice President himself shares this awareness and the inappropriateness of the award at this point,” Alaka wrote in a Twitter message announcing the postponement of the conferment of the award.
Alaka, however, noted that the award ceremony will hold and every other awardee shall be awarded except Osinbajo.
Social media users had protested against the Vice president’s involvement and seeming silence on issues bordering on freedom of speech and disregard of rule of law under the current administration.
DSS invaded the Federal High Court on Friday to rearrest Sowore despite court order has been granted for the activist’s release.
Currently, Sowore is still ebing held in detention at the DSS headquarters against the order of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High court, Abuja.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94